Alexander Technique Constructive Rest

[Robert Rickover]

...is the topic of the latest Alexander Technique Podcast interview at http://BodyLearningCast.com - with Ruth Rootberg. an AT teacher in Amherst, Mass.

Robert Rickover

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[sraj]

Hello All,

When I used to lie on my back, I tended to keep one leg extended, with the other leg in semi supine. Of late I find it easier and more natural to do semi supine correctly. I no longer need a pillow and am perfectly comfortable without one. (It is worth mentioning in this regard, that it is equally important to check out the flexibility and orientation of the spine when resting on the bed sideways). 

.. To check out the position of the head with respect to the torso, when I look sideways in a mirror - leaning forward a little - I get the impression that the back of the head is slightly behind the 'back'. However when I walk back into a wall, I find that my back and the back of my head touch the wall almost simultaneously (the back touching a fraction before the head). In this 'walk back', my heels reach a position one or two inches ahead of the wall. Obviously, this feeling that the back of the head is behind the back is an optical illusion created by the inward curvature at the neck. (However, considering the fact that  Homo Sapiens do not know head or tail about good posture, I am keeping my options open, that the back of the head should touch the wall first!?).

.. Ever since I realized the issue of balance of the head: http://headbalance.blogspot.com/ , I seem to be riding a roller coaster, and feel like Keats did 'On first looking into Chapman's Homer'.

I am now convinced more that ever before that it is within everyone's grasp (at least for people who are young), to accurately balance their posture from head to heel. In the balanced state, the whole body will be in a state of flux. This state of flux will include 'torsional flux': the muscles in the body are organized such that symmetrical contraction and release of muscles leads to movement of the body in the segittal plane, whereas differential contraction and release, leads to twisting of body parts. The ability to twist freely is very important for free movement of the body. 

... I am presently also discovering what the natural shape of the body should be. At this particular moment, why the waist should be narrow and the shoulder wide. I am struggling with this at the moment, because it is clear to me that the muscles at my 'small of the back' are not functioning properly. The proper functioning of this muscle group seems to be linked to how the the stomach muscles function - that is, I have to make sure that both function in as synchronized way; easier said than done :-)

.. Yesterday I cleaned out a room in my house and wiped the floor with a wet cloth; I was surprised with the ease with which I could bend down and move around in the bent position. 

Wishing everyone, 'Happy Posture  Correction'. 

Regards,

Selvaraj

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[sraj]

Some correction of grammar in my earlier post.

Selvaraj

On 13 March 2012 07:13, sraj <sra...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello All,

When I used to lie on my back, I tended to keep one leg extended, with the other leg in semi supine. Of late I find it easier and more natural to do semi supine correctly. I no longer need a pillow and am perfectly comfortable without one. (It is worth mentioning in this regard, that it is equally important to check out the flexibility and orientation of the spine when resting on the bed sideways). 

.. To check out the position of the head with respect to the torso, when I look sideways in a mirror - leaning forward a little - I get the impression that the back of the head is slightly behind the LINE OF THE 'back'. However when I walk back AGAINST a wall, I find that my back and the back of my head touch the wall almost simultaneously (the back touching a fraction before the head). In this 'walk back', my heels reach a position one or two inches ahead of the wall. Obviously, this feeling that the back of the head is behind the LINE OF THE back is an optical illusion created by the inward curvature at the neck. (However, considering the fact that  Homo Sapiens do not know head or tail about good posture, I am keeping my options open, that the back of the head should touch the wall first!?).

.. Ever since I realized the issue of balance of the head: http://headbalance.blogspot.com/ , I seem to be riding a roller coaster, and feel like Keats did 'On first looking into Chapman's Homer'.

I am now convinced more that ever before that it is within everyone's grasp (at least for people who are young), to accurately balance their posture from head to heel. In the balanced state, the whole body will be in a state of flux. This state of flux will include 'torsional flux': the muscles in the body are organized such that symmetrical contraction and release of muscles leads to movement of the body in the segittal plane, whereas differential contraction and release, leads to twisting of body parts. The ability to twist freely is very important for free movement of the body. 

... I am presently also discovering what the natural shape of the body should be. At this particular moment, why the waist should be narrow and the shoulder wide. I am struggling with this at the moment, because it is clear to me that the muscles at my 'small of the back' are not functioning properly. The proper functioning of this muscle group seems to be linked to how the the stomach muscles function - that is, I have to make sure that both function in A synchronized way; easier said than done :-)

[sraj]

Selvaraj wrote:  .. To check out the position of the head with respect to the torso, when I look sideways in a mirror - leaning forward a little - I get the impression that the back of the head is slightly behind the 'back'. However when I walk back into a wall, I find that my back and the back of my head touch the wall almost simultaneously (the back touching a fraction before the head)....

Today I checked my back alignment using the method advocated by Dr Barlow:

"If you stand with your back to a wall (fig 25a), with your heels about two inches in front of it and feet about 18 inches apart, you can begin to notice and identify some of your defects".

"Sway your body back to the wall keeping your toes on the ground(fig. 25b). Your shoulder-blades and your buttocks should hit the wall simultaneously"

When I did the above experiment, my buttocks and the back of my head hit the wall first! My belief is that my head is balanced in a more centred way on my spine now. I cannot still claim that my Axis and Atlas are working perfectly, but certainly there is more freedom at these places now.

I am able to synchronise the whole body in a much better way. My eventual goal is that the whole body should be able to oscillate freely - that will be the final proof of the pudding. This final goal will be more difficult to attain than I first imagined, since any small correction in one part of the body must be reflected in other parts of the body. What I am seeking to achieve is not possible unless balancing is being done in the correct direction. I am reasonably confident that my basic balance is in the right direction now, otherwise I would have been in deep trouble by now.

(Please note that the position of the head cannot be altered on short notice, for me it has taken at least seven years. If I had the information presented in my blog http://headbalance.blogspot.in/ seven years back perhaps I would have made the change faster).

Regards,

Selvaraj 

On 13 March 2012 07:13, sraj <sra...@gmail.com> wrote: